With the seventh pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, the Portland Trail Blazers selected University of Kentucky shooting guard Shaedon Sharpe.
So who is Shaedon Sharpe? He is being called “one of the most mysterious players/prospects” of the draft. The 6’6, 200-lb guard never played a game for the Wildcats and told Mitch Brown of Lexington Kentucky’s FOX 56 when asked why he didn’t play:
"“Just getting ready for next season.”"
The 19-year-old is from London, Ontario, and played his high school ball at Glendale, Arizona’s Dream City Christian. He was the number one overall prospect in the 2022 class by ESPN.
Portland Trail Blazers select Shaedon Sharpe and Jabari Walker in 2022 NBA Draft
What Blazers fans can expect of Sharpe is anyone’s guess at this point. An ABC Draft Analyst said he could be the steal of the draft which of course could be good for the Blazers in the long term. But is he NBA ready is the question?
At this point, he will be fighting for playing time, competing with Anfernee Simons who likely will be re-signed in free agency, as well as Josh Hart. At this point, Sharpe might benefit from development via the G-League and is better viewed as part of the team’s future rather than an instant contributor.
"“My confidence is at the highest right now,” Sharpe told ABC’s Monica McNutt after hearing his name called. “I’m coming into the league as a young kid. I just want to show everyone what I can do for reals.”"
We will soon see what Shaedon can do with Las Vegas Summer League fast approaching.
Elsewhere in the draft, Portland traded the 46th pick, which they acquired via the Pistons as part of the Jerami Grant trade, to the Denver Nuggets. That pick ended up being for center prospect Ismael Kamagate out of France, an injection of size that the Blazers could have used themselves in Rip City.
With the 57th pick, the Trail Blazers took Colorado power forward Jabari Walker. The 6’9″ former Buffalo averaged 14.6 points and 9.4 rebounds his sophomore season. He was the Pac-12 leader in boards in the 2021-2022 season. Walker will likely not see much in the way of playing time this season with Jerami Grant, Greg Brown III, and Justise Winslow already at the position unless he can prove that he’s agile and defensively disciplined enough to play the three.
As mentioned, we will see Sharpe, as well as Walker, Brandon Williams, Brown III, and other young Blazers at Summer League. Competition will officially begin on July 7 when the Blazers take on Jaden Ivey, who was the fifth-overall pick, and the Detroit Pistons.